Apparatus for transporting and collecting shredded tobacco or the like

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for supplying shredded tobacco to the distributor of a rod cigarette machine comprises a magazine having a front wall connected with the discharge end of a tobacco-admitting first pneumatic conduit and with the intake end of an air-evacuating second pneumatic conduit. A sieve divides the interior of the magazine into an upper compartment which communicates with the intake end of the second conduit and a lower compartment which communicates with the discharge end of the first conduit. The sieve has a first section which offers a relatively low resistance to the passage of air from the lower compartment into the upper compartment when the second conduit evacuates air from the magazine while the first conduit admits tobacco-laden air, and a second section which offers greater resistance to the passage of air and is bypassed by tobacco shreds which leave the discharge end of the first conduit. The second section of the sieve permits flow of air into the second conduit on partial or complete clogging of the first section.

United States Patent Inventor Klaus Hagenah Hamburg, Germany Appl No. 805,225

Filed Mar. 7, 1969 Patented May 25, 1971 Assignee Hauni-Werke Korber 8: Co. K.G. Hamburg, Germany Priority Mar. 15, 1968 Germany 1 16 57 255.7

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING AND COLLECTING SHREDDED TOBACCO OR THE LIKE 2,812,217 11/1957 Kochetal ABSTRACT: Apparatus for supplying shredded tobacco to the distributor of a rod cigarette machine comprises a magazine having a front wall connected with the discharge end of a tobacco-admitting first pneumatic conduit and with the intake end of an air-evacuating second pneumatic conduit. A sieve divides the interior of the magazine into an upper compartment which communicates with the intake end of the second conduit and a lower compartment which communicates with the discharge end of the first conduit. The sieve has a first section which offers a relatively low resistance to the passage of air from the lower compartment into the upper compartment when the second conduit evacuates air from the magazine while the first conduit admits tobacco-laden air, and a second section which offers greater resistance to the passage of air and is bypassed by tobacco shreds which leave the discharge end of the first conduit. The second section of the sieve permits flow of air into the second conduit on partial or complete clogging of the first section SOUR PATENTEU W25 I971 FAN SOURCE TOBACCO Fig. 1

INVENTUR K (JAMS 4.4",llj/l H ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING AND COLLECTING SHREDDED TOBACCO OR THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to apparatus for transporting and collecting fibrous material, particularly for transporting and collecting shredded tobacco for delivery to the distributor of a rod cigarette machine.

It is already known to provide in a rod cigarette machine a magazine which, is connected with a tobacco-supplying first pneumatic conduit and with an air-evacuating second conduit. The magazine contains a sieve which intercepts tobacco shreds but permits air to enter the second conduit. It is often desirable to place the discharge end of the first conduit close to the intake end of the second conduit. The sieve is then mounted between the intake and discharge ends. A drawback of such apparatus is that air which is sucked from the discharge end of the first conduit into the intake end of the second conduit tends to entrain particles of shredded tobacco whereby such particles accumulate on and rapidly clog the sieve. This prevents necessary circulation of air so that the first conduit is rapidly filled with tobacco shreds. Frequent cleaning of the sieve consumes much time and can cause substantial losses in output, particularly when the apparatus is designed to deliver batches of tobacco shreds to a high-speed rod cigarette machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of 'my invention is to provide an apparatus which can deliver and collect shredded tobacco or like fibrous material without unduly clogging the sieve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel magazine and a novel sieve for the improved apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can operate properly even if the sieve is partially clogged.

The improved apparatus comprises a magazine defining an internal chamber and having a portion whichflanks one side of the chamber, a material-admitting first pneumatic conduit having a discharge end connected with the portion of the magazine to discharge into the chamber a current of air which is laden with particulate material, an air-evacuating second pneumatic conduit having an intake end connected to the portion of the magazine to evacuate air from the chamber, and air permeable partition or sieve means mounted in the magazine and extending between the ends of the two conduits to intercept particulate material which enters by way of the discharge end and tends to travel with air which is sucked into the intake end. In accordance with a feature of the invention, the partition means comprises a first section through which the second conduit normally draws air and a second section through which the second conduit draws air in response to partial or complete clogging of the first section.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

DRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic side elevational view of an apparatus for transport and collection of shredded tobacco which embodies one form of my invention; and

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line ll-ll of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The apparatus which is shown in. FIGS. I and 2 comprises a magazine 1 having a front portion or wall la provided with I two extensions 9, 11 located above each other. The magazine 1 accommodates a removable air-permeable partition or sieve 2 which extends horizontally across the internal chamber of the housing and divides the latter into first and second compartments 4 and 3. The compartment 3 is located at a level above the compartment 4 and communicates with the intake end of an air evacuating conduit 7 which is connected to the front portion 1a, namely, to the upper extension 9. The lower extension 11 of the front portion la is connected with the discharge end of a tobacco-admitting conduit 6. These conduits 6, 7 have parallel horizontal portions which are closely adjacent to each other and are respectively located below and above the plane of the partition 2. The source of shredded tobacco is shown at 6a. The numeral 7a denotes an open-andshut valve which is installed in the air-evacuating conduit 7 between the extension 9 and a suction fan 7b.

The partition 2 comprises a larger first section 2a and a smaller second section 2b which is rigid and preferably in tegral with the section 2a. The latter extends between the major portions of the compartments 3, 4 and is providedwith relatively large perforations or interstices so that it offers a relatively low resistance to passage of air but is still dense enough to intercept shredded tobacco. The interstices of the section 2b are smaller so that it offers greater resistance to passage of air. This second section separates the interior of the upper extension 9 from the interior of the lower extension 11. It will be noted that the section 2b is adjacent to and parallel with the path of tobacco shreds which leave the discharge end of the conduit 6 and advance into the interior of the lower compartment 4 to accumulate in the lower zone of the magazine I. The partition 2 has two handles 12, 13 which are accessible at the outer side of the magazine 1 and enable an operator to periodically withdraw the partition for inspection and/or cleaning, if necessary.

FIG. 2 shows that the lower part of the magazine I comprises a sidewall 14 which is attached to the remainder of the magazine by a hinge 16 so that its upper edge can pivot about a horizontal axis. The wall 14 forms with the adjoining rigidly mounted second sidewall 17 of the magazine 1 a downwardly tapering funnel 18 which accommodates tobacco shreds accumulating in the compartment 4. When the conduit 7 draws air from the upper compartment 3 atmospheric pressure maintains the wall 14in the solid-line position of FIG. 2 so that the funnel 18 is closed. When the valve 7a seals the fan 7b from the compartment 3, the wall 14 returns to the broken-line position of FIG. 2 and defines with the wall 17 an outlet for evacuation of accumulated tobacco shreds by gravity feed. Such shreds then descend into the distributor 19 of a conventional rod cigarette machine where they are converted into a stream which is then trimmed to form a filler rod ready to be wrapped into cigarette paper.

The operation:

The rod cigarette machine which includes the distributor 19 produces a signal when the supply of shredded tobacco in the distributor 19 is about to be exhausted or is depleted to a predetermined minimum level. Such signal is used to auto matically open the valve so that the fan 7b draws a current of air through the conduit 7 to reduce pressure in the compartments 3, 4 and to effect movement of sidewall 14 to the closed (solid-line) position of FIG. 2. Such current of air also draws shredded tobacco from the source 60 through the conduit 6, extension 11 and into the lower compartment 4 of the magazine 1. The partition 2 prevents tobacco shreds from entering the compartment 3 but its section 2a permits air to flow from the compartment 4 into compartment 3 and to the suction side of the fan 7a by way of the conduit 7. Their kinetic energy causes the shreds which enter the magazine 1 by way of the extension 11 to shoot past the section 2b and to enter that part of the compartment 4 which is located below the section 2a. After elapse of a preselected interval of time which is long enough to insure that the funnel 18 is filled with shreds to a desired level, a time-delay relay or another suitable timer device produces a signal which closes the valve 7a so that the fan 7b is sealed from the internal chamber of the magazine 1. Even before the valve 7a closes, the source 6a ceases to supply tobacco shreds into the conduit 6 so that the latter is empty when the fan 7b ceases to draw air from the compartment 3. When the valve 7a closes, suction in the magazine 1 collapses and the batch of tobacco shreds descends through the Outlet defined by the walls 14, 17 into the distributor 19 of the rod cigarette machine. As explained before, the wall 14 automatically reassumes the broken-line position of FIG. 2 when the interior of the extension 9 is sealed from the suction side of the fan 7b.

The purpose of the section 2b is to permit passage of air when the section 2a is partly or completely clogged by tobacco shreds. Thus, the section 2b insures that the flow of air from the conduit 6 into the conduit 7 is not interrupted when the area of perforations in the section 2b is selected in such a way that this section permits satisfactory circulation of air upon clogging of the section 2a. However, when the section 2a is not clogged, the major part of air passes through its perforations because the resistance of the section 2b to flow of air is greater.

An important advantage of am apparatus is that it renders it possible to place the discharge end of the conduit 6 adjacent to the intake end of the conduit 7 without risking an interruption in circulation of air, even if the section 20 is clogged so that it does not permit flow of sufficient amounts of air from the compartment 4 into the compartment 3 and to the fan 7b.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of .the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to the art.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended I claim:

1. Apparatus for transporting and collecting particles of fibrous material, particularly shredded tobacco, comprising a magazine defining an internal chamber and including a portion flanking one side of said chamber; a material-admitting first pneumatic conduit having a discharge end connected with said portion to discharge into said chamber a current of air which is laden with particulate material; an air-evacuating second pneumatic conduit having anintake end connected with said portion to evacuate air from said chamber; and airpermeable partition means mounted in said magazine and extending between the ends of said conduits to intercept particu' late material which enters by way of said discharge end and tends to travel with air which is drawn into said intake end, said partition means comprising a first section through which the second conduit normally draws air and a second section through which the second conduit draws air in response to at least partial clogging of said first section, said second section being nearer to the ends of said conduits than said first section.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said conduits have portions adjacent to each other and to said portion of the magazine.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said intake end is located at a level above said discharge end.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the resistance which said second section offers to the passage of air therethrough exceeds the resistance of said first section.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said second section is adjacent to the path of movement of particulate material in said chamber beyond said discharge end.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the second section of said partition means is ri ic l with said first section.

7. Apparatus as defined in c arm 6, wherein said partition means divides the said chamber into first and second compart ments which respectively communicate with said discharge end and said intake end.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said magazine has an outlet for evacuation of fibrous material from said chamber.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, further comprising a receptacle for fibrous material which is evacuated by way of said outlet, said receptacle constituting the distributor of a rod cigarette machine.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said portion of said magazine has hollow first and second extensions which communicate with said chamber, said first and second extensions being adjacent to each other and being respectively connected with the ends of said first and second conduits, said second section of said partition means being disposed between said extensions so that said second conduit draws air from the first extension into the second extension by way of said second section in response to clogging of said first section. 

1. Apparatus for transporting and collecting particles of fibrous material, particularly shredded tobacco, comprising a magazine defining an internal chamber and including a portion flanking one side of said chamber; a material-admitting first pneumatic conduit having a discharge end connected with said portion to discharge into said chamber a current of air which is laden with particulate material; an air-evacuating second pneumatic conduit having an intake end connected with said portion to evacuate air from said chamber; and air-permeable partition means mounted in said magazine and extending between the ends of said conduits to intercept particulate material which enters by way of said discharge end and tends to travel with air which is drawn into said intake end, said partition means comprising a first section through which the second conduit normally draws air and a second section through which the second conduit draws air in response to at least partial clogging of said first section, said second section being nearer to the ends of said conduits than said first section.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said conduits have portions adjacent to each other and to said portion of the magazine.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said intake end is located at a level above said discharge end.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the resistance which said second section offers to the passage of air therethrough exceeds the resistance of said first section.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said second section is adjacent to the path of movement of particulate material in said chamber beyond said discharge end.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the second section of said partition means is rigid with said first section.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said partition means divides the said chamber into first and second compartments which respectively communicate with said discharge end and said intake end.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said magazine has an outlet for evacuation of fibrous material from said chamber.
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, further comprising a receptacle for fibrous material which is evacuated by way of said outlet, said receptacle constituting the distributor of a rod cigarette machine.
 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said portion of said magazine has hollow first and second extensions which communicate with said chamber, said first and second extensions being adjacent to each other and being respectively connected with the ends of said first and second conduits, said second section of said partition means being disposed between said extensions so that said second conduit draws air from the first extension into the second extension by way of said second section in response to clogging of said first section. 